After a successful 2012 push online of previously offline bookings, German wire and cable supply company Leoni last year took the next step and deployed a single tool for its location in France. It was part of an effort to reduce booking fees and improve overall travel program efficiency.
Within months, nearly 90 percent of the multinational company's transactions at the French location were being booked through the KDS Neo booking tool, said Jean-Paul Magnier, Leoni's purchasing and cost optimization director in France.
The journey to that level of adoption was relatively quick, Magnier said, as only in 2012 did the division begin to "switch from offline booking to online booking." Launching a 400-traveler pilot program at the France location, Leoni began using separate online booking tools for flights and rail reservations, car rentals, and hotel stays, and an application that allows senior management to approve all travel itineraries.
"During monthly meetings with [Leoni's] France Management Committee, we reviewed the performances of the company, and I used this meeting to report on the progress of using online booking tools, and the benefit of using them to reduce agency fees and average ticket prices," Magnier said.
To encourage employees to use the new tools, Leoni implemented Carlton Wagonlit Travel Program Messenger functionality that congratulated those who achieved the "target price per destination," Magnier said, which was set in place when the booking process shifted online.
In September 2013, Leoni's France office began implementing Neo, which allows travelers and managers to "understand the total cost of each trip up front," Magnier said. Neo calculates door-to-door trip cost using actual airfares and hotel rates combined with the estimated cost of taxis and any on-site purchases.
"The tool provides full policy-driven itineraries," Magnier said, "and integrated maps of the [traveler's] destination, including street views."
Neo automatically applies filters to create itineraries that optimize travel time and are cost-efficient. "We faced resistance from people who were used to going to particular places for their flights, so we knew it was important to provide alternatives to the travelers, giving them choices." By limiting the amount of choices, KDS saves travelers time on the decision-making process, he added.
By the end of January 2014, Leoni saw a 90 percent Neo adoption rate. "Today most employees like using Neo because it's easy to use," Magnier said.
Through the Neo mobile app, senior management can approve employees' itineraries from any mobile device. "You have to approve very fast, or you might lose the cheaper fare," Magnier said. "This is why the manager has to approve rapidly in 48 hours. This tool gives us the possibility to reach this target of 48 hours."
Magnier formed a team of employees responsible for relaying information about Neo back to their respective departments. During monthly meetings, Magnier gauges how long it's taking employees to book trips and how happy they seem to be with the tool.
Since implementing the online booking system, Magnier asserts Leoni has saved a significant amount of time and reduced per-ticket costs by about 25 percent. But because travelers still are being trained, he said it's too early to evaluate how much money has been saved overall.